Ruffling attachment fo r sewi ng-m ach



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. R. PARSONS.

-RUFPLING ATTAGHMBNT'POR SEWING MACHINES.

Patented Deo. 21, 1886.

No. 354,577.A

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(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2. W. R. PARSONS.

RUFFLING ATTACHMENT AFUR SEWING MACHINES.

N0. 354,577. Patented-Dec. 21, 1886.

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VINSLOW R. PARSONS,

RUN-'LENG ATTACHMENT Farrar Orricno OF WATERLOO, IOWA.

FOR'ssWiNG-Maol-HNES.

SPECEEZCATEON forming part of Letters Patent No. 3545,57?, datedDecember 21, 1886.

Application filed January 23, 1885. Seria-1 No. 153,757. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Wnvsrow R. Passons, a citizen of the United States,residing at Vaterloo, in the State of Iowa, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in Rufller Attachments for Sewing-Machines, of whichthe following is a specification.

My improved rufler is of that class Or type known as foot attachmentswith reci prol eating rnffling-blades; and my present invention consistsin certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts,hereinafter set forth and claimed, by which as awhole my said ruffler isadapted to do a great variety of Work, to operate with precision, to beeasily adjusted and converted for different kinds of work, and also toguide the respective pieces of cloth and a piping or fold, if desired,the latter automatically, so as to specially adapt it Yfor use byunskilled operators.

The special object of the first part of this invention is to adapt aruining-blade carried by a swinging arm to be forced into mesh with thecloth in a positive manner at the beginning of each push-stroke, and atthe saine time to release it from excessive bending by permittingit toworkin an approximately-straight path.

Another Object is to so mount the swinging a "in carrying theruining-blade, together with the lever or arm by which motion istransmitted, as to equalize the strain on a pivotal rivet common toboth.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a peculiar way-forregulating' the length of the stroke of the ruffling-blade, whichdetermines the fullness o1" the gathers or the width of the plaits.

Another object is to increase in a peculiar way the relative forwardmovement of the rufding-blade so operated in making plaiting or plaitedrniiies, as aforesaid, without affecting` its ruflling-strokes. This hasheretofore been done by means of screw-adjustinents, which are liable tobecome changed by the screw or screws working loose, and whichoperators, moreover, sometimes fail to understand or to recollect. lprovide the additional throw, and proportion the saine to the width ofthe plaits automatically and by simple means.

Another object is to provide by one and the saine simple combination ofparts for adjusting the under blade or separator longitudinally, forincreasing the space between the end of the blade and the ot'fset in thefoot or presser portion of the rallier, so that plaiting will passtherethrough, for wholly detaching the separator with facility whenshirt-ing is t0 be produced, and for tightly fastening. it in place-while it is in use.

Another object is to provide for guiding the respective pieces of clothin making rntling and plaiting in different ways by means of theattachment, with provision in each case for automatically guiding apiping cut and folded to lit the same.

Another object is to locate an automatic fold-guide immediately in frontof the presserfoot by means of a part which serves in plaiting to keepthe teeth of the ruffling-blade in mesh with the upper cloth throughoutthe long strokes of the blade, to aid in producing plaited ruifics orplait-ing with uniform plaits as wide as may be desired within the scopeof the attach ment, as hereinafter more fully set forth.

rlwo sheets of drawings bearing fourteen figures accompany thisspecitiation as part thereof.

Figures l and 2 of those drawings are elevations of my improved rufflerin a condition of rest, showing its respective sides. Fig. la is anotherside elevation from the same point of view as Fig. l, showing theruftler, partly in longitudinal section, adjusted for shirring.` Fig. 2is another side elevation showing the same side as Fig. 2, with thernffler adjusted for plaiting. Fig. 3 is an end View, and Fig. 4 is atop view, ofthe ruiiier as seen in Fig. l. Fig. lx is a top view of itsremovable separator part shown in Fig. l, with an edge view of the underblade or separator appended, and Fig. 5 is a top viewof the substituteshirringblade part shown in Fig. l, and Figs. 6to 9, inclusive, aredetail viewsillustrating modifications, as hereinafter referred to.

Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the severalfigures.

Except as converted for shirring, the improved ruii'ier represented byFigs. l to 5, inclusive, of the drawings, is composed of a foot part, A,a frame-piece, B, three lever parts, C D E, the latter carrying theruining-blade a,

and a separator part, F, carrying the under blade ory separator, b, witha clamp-piece, G, and accessories of the respective parts. Said footpart A and said frame-piece B are rigidly and iixedly united with eachother, and the former is adapted to be attached to the pressen bar ofthe sewing-machine, (P, Fig. 12) as a substitute for the stitchingpresser-foot, in an ordinary'manner. Said foot part is constructed withthe customary heel, it, to form its pressing-surface at its rear end,having a relatively elevated solesurface, s, in front thereof, extendingbehind the needle-hole a, and a trans verse recess, i, in front of theneedle-hole to permit the upper cloth to rise freely in front of themilling-blade; and the under blade, b, is provided with a permanenttransverse bend, b', near its free end, directing the extremity of theblade upward, and forming a fulcrum upon the throat-plate of themachine, whereby said free end of the under blade is caused to' pressupward against said sole-surface s, as

. indicatedin Fig. l, with greatly-increased force.

In operation, askpthe ruffling-blade a advances to the position in whichit is represent. ed in Fig. l, or that represented in Fig. 2, anddeposits a crimp or gather or plait of the upper piece of cloth inposition beneath the needle, as shown in Fig. 2b, the crimp or gather orplait is caught by the upwardly-sprung end of said under blade, b, andheld thereby against the eleva-ted sole-su rfaoe s, immediately behindthe needle,while the heel It is allowed to press with nndiminished forceupon both pieces of cloth as they lie beneath it, thus providing againsteither piece of cloth being pushed through beneath said heel by therufiiingblade. In the retraction of the ruftling-blade from its advanfedposition, as represented, for examw ple, by Fig. 2b, the same action ofsaid bent under blade serves to prevent the retraction of the uppercloth therewith to a sufficient extent to guard the partl'ysewed crimpor gather or' plait last formed from being thus opened or impaired.

In making"plaiting, as illustrated by Fig. 2b, said clamp-piece Gbecomes effective in said retracting-stroke in holding-the free end ofthe ruftlingblade a down beyond the toe ofthe foot A, ,so that itsserrated extremity shall catch the cloth promptly in the succeedingpush-stroke. To this end said clamp-piece is located above the foot andattached by a vertical screw, sg, tapped into the latter, the bifurcatedrear end of the clamp-piece resting upon said frame-piece B andembracing a projection, p, which holds it in place laterally, as clearlyshown in Figs. lu and 4. Ordinarily the clamp-piece rests lightly uponthe blade; but for making plaiting said screw sg is tightened so as tocause the effective edge of the clamp-piece to project downward more orless, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2b, and perform its function asaforesaid. The rufiiingblade ais connected with the body of saidleverpiece E, which is the swinging arm77 of the l, forexample) theaxis'ot' said knuckle-joint 7c is somewhat in front of the perpendicularplane of the main pivot m on which the arm E swings, and in startingfrom this position toward the retracted position represented in Fior. lthe lateral arm a is lowered and permitted to turn freely on the axis ofthe knuckle-joint until it passes said perpendicular plane, and theserratedend of the blade is thus caused to rise and -free itself to aconsiderable extent before beginning its backward movement; but moreparticularly in passing from the retracted position, Fig. l, to theadvanced position, Fig. l, the reverse turn of said arm a on the axis ofthe knuckle-joint. together with the action of the extremity of theguide G or the toe end of the foot A as a fulcrum above said blade a, asseen in Fig. l, causes the serrated end ofthe blade to bite the clothbefore it begins to move forward, and throughout the push stroke theblade is enabled to move in a more nearly straightpath than if it wererigidly attached, and consequently with less bending of the blade. Toequalize the strain on said main pivot m, which is a rivet unitingthe-main lever C and said swinging arm E with the standard of saidframe-piece B, said lever and arm are located on the respective sides ofsaid standard, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4, and the same is thusadapted to wear well and to work smoothly. Said main lever C re ceivescontinuous vibrating motion in a cus# tomary manner through a fork, f,from the needle-fastening.screw of the needle bar N, aslepresented indotted lines in Fig. l, and motion is transmitted therefrom to said armE toward the end of each stroke of the needlebar up or 'down for aneffective and variable intermittent reciprocating movement of theruiiling-blade a. motion, said arm E is constructed with a pair ofshoulders, u d, for the up and down strokes respectively, the same beingproperly located, as represented, between said main pivot m and the pathof the needle-bar. shoulder is adapted to engage with said lever Citself, and said lever part D being a fingerlever with a tappet, t, atits effective extremity, is attached to said lever O by a pivotal rivet,c, said tappet tbeing adapted to engage with said downstroke-shoulder d.Said upstroke-shoulder and said tappet are formed by lateral bends inopposite' directions. It will be seen that by holding said tappet t indifferent positions below the lever C the length of theretracting-stroke of the ruftling-blade To adapt it to receive such' IODIIO

Said upstrokewill be varied by thus filling more or less of the spacebetween said shoulders u d, so as to reduce the idle motion of the levermore or less. Said tappet is so held in the most simple and effectivemanner which I have conceived by a notched sector, ac, formed on saidlever C, coacting with adetent-tooth, o, formed on said finger-lever Dand held in mesh by the elasticity of the latter, as best seen in Figs.2 and 3. To provide when the attachment is adj usted for plaiting forvarying the pushstroke of the rattling-blade also, so that it shallcarry wide plaits proportionately farther than narrow gathers, and leavethem in the most f effective position beneath the needle, an eccentric,e, is formed at the tappet end of the iinger-levcr adjacent to its pivotc, so as to rise above the upper edge of the lever C and take the placeof the latter for coaction with said upstroke-shoulder u whenever thetappet t is set for a plaiting-stroke, as illustrated by Fig. 2, withoutadditional action on the part of the operator.

To provide for correspondingly adjusting the separating-blade b forplaiting, so as to increase the space at the presser-offset, asaforesaid, its holder F (shown detached in Fig. 4X) is provided withhorizontal slots, as clearly shown in Figs. 2, 2b, and 3, tted to aguidestud, t'. and a guide-screw,j, the latter of which is provided witha clamp-nut, as shown, for holding the blade tightly in any position inwhich it may be placed. By simply loosening said nut theseparating-blade may be adj usted to suit the work, or said holder F maybe detachedA ina moment for shirring, wliile when said nut is tightenedthe separatingblade is rigidly held and secured against displacement inany direction.

For shirring, a substitute under blade or separator, bz, is supportedpreferably by a holder, H, of peculiar construction7 attached to ashuttle-race slide S, as shown in Figs. 1a and 5, said holder being ofthin spring-brass, and adapted to hug the top of said slide and thecloth-plate tightly, or to yield vertically so as to accommodate one ormore thicknesses of cloth beneath it.

For guiding the respective pieces of cloth and a piping or fold invarious ways, and automatically,so far as possible,to adapt theattachment for use by unskilled operators, my provisionsin said rufiler(shown in said Figs. lto 5, inclusiva) are as follows,viz: first, aguide-slit, l, (best seen in Figs. land 4,) formed by a pair ofhorizontal fingers integral-with said framepiece B, to guide a rufflepiece or band introduced from the left in customary manner, with a guidespace, l, Fig.3, formed by a lateral b( nd ot' said separator part F, toaccommodate a rufe-pieceintroduced from the right ofthe needle;secondly, a slit, 2, Figs. 1 and 4X, inthe sole of said separator partF, for guiding a band introduced from the left when said guide lis usedfor the ruffle-piece, as shown in Fig. 2", or for guiding a folded strippassing upward therethrough and between the two blades to form straightplaiting;7 thirdly, short slots 3 3 3g, Figs. 4?, 5, 4, formed,respectively, in said sole of the separator part Fand in theshirring-blade holder H and in said clamppiece G, to guide automaticallya piping cnt and folded to the proper width and inserted through either.as may be most convenient, this piping-guide being in each case in frontof the prcsserfoot, so that the piping may pass therethrough at an easyangle, and pass freely, in Contact with one of the blades, beneath thefoot to the needle; fourthly, a slot, 4, Fig. 5, in said shirring-bladeholder H, for automatically guiding a band cut to fit the same,togetherwith slots lz and 2z in the saine for alternate use as guides forrufiie-pieces and bands in making rufliing while this part is inposition; fifthly, a slit, 5, Figs. l,1,- L, in said clamp-piece G, toguide a band which has one edge folded over first when afolded band isto be stitched to the top of the ruffle.

Fig. 6 represents a side elevation of said frame piece B, provided withmodified leverpieces Gx Dx E". The lever Cx may be identical with saidlever C. An immaterial change of form is shown at its notched sector ax.The nger-lever Dx embodies the main modification sought to beillustrated by this figurethat is to say, its eccent-ric exis adapted toengage at all times with the upstroke-shoulder u of the swinging arm EX,so that in making all widths of gathers and plaits the forward throw ofthe rufiling-blade c shallbe proportioned to their width. An immaterialchange of form is represented at t", and the rattling-blade a isrepresented as attached to a rigid lateral arm, ctx, of said arm EX, asit may be without affecting said stroke-varying devices.

Fig. 7 represents a side elevation, and Fig. 47y a top view, of anotherruifler illustrating `additionalmodifications of the same part of thisinvention. By represents a frame-piece, cy a main lever, and Ey aswinging arm united by a horizontal pivot, m, and corresponding,respectively, in general functions with said frame-piece B, levers C Cx,and arms E EX. Said lever FF carries the rufiling-blade a by means of arigid lateral arm, a5', (or it may be in the manner represented in Figs.1 to 4, inclusive,) and has upstroke and downstroke shoulders uy dy,both of which are formed by lateral bends, and said lever Cy carries inplace of a finger-lever a slide, Dy, the lower end of which forms anadjustable tappet, ty, to engage with said downstroke-shoulder, saidslide being held in place by ways w io, formed by bending and notchingthe metal of the lever, and a thumbscrew, sy, (orit may be a stud-screwand thumb; nut,) the screw being accommodated by a longitudinal slot inthe slide, as shown in Fig. 7. The retractingstroke is thus varied atwill in substantially the same manner as before described, but bydifferent means, beyond the adjustable tappet itself.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation, and Fig. 82 a top view, of a modifiedframepiece', BZ, correspond- IIO IIS

ing in general form and function with said frame-pieces B BY, butdiffering therefrom as to guides. rihis framepiece BZ has, in additionto the pair of fingers at its front end, forming said guide-slit l for aruffie piece or band introd uced' from the left, a third finger, I,integral with the outer of the fingers first named, and this finger Iforms a guide-slit, lz, for a ruffle piece or band introduced from theright. Another integral part, J, in the same horizontal plane takes theplace of said clamppiece G,'for the accommodation of a pipingguide, SZ,and a top-band guide, 5Z, corresponding in function to said guides 3gand 5. By partly severing this part .l and bending it downward at itsouter edge, as shown in the figures, the passage of the cloth throughthe guides is facilitated; and this may be done with said part I'also,or it may lbe omitted, especially if the vframe-piece be of thin andstiff metal.

Fig. 9 represents atop View of anotherh older, H, for theshirring-bladebz, illustrating additional modifications ofthe guides. This holder ismade ofstiff metal with a thick end, through which the attach mentscrewof the cloth-plate passes to attach it in customary manner, and inaddition to guides 1x, 2z, and 3, corresponding in form as well as infunction with the guides in said holder H, correspondingly lettered, ithas an automatic band-guide, 4Z, possessing the function of said guide4t, and also adapted, by a central opening, a, to guide the seam-edge ofa wide straight piece introduced from the right through said opening,while the closed ends of the guide proper increase its efficiency inautomatically guiding a band cut to fit it.

Having thus described niy said improvement in ruflier attachments forsewing-machines, l claim `as my invention, and desire to patent underthis specication l. The combination, with a reciprocatingrufliing-blade, a fulcrum above the same, and a swinging arm forcarrying the blade, of a lateral arm at the lower end of said swingingarm,having said blade riveted thereto,and connected with said swingingarm by -a knucklejoint, which comprises a horizontal pivot carried pastthe perpendicular plane of the axis of said swinging arm in each stroke,and angular surfaces on the lower extremity of said swinging armcoacting with the horizontal portion of said lateral arm, as hereinspecified,

for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination, in a sewing-machine ruii'ler having a reciprocatingrutltling-blade, of the customary frame-piece having an upright portion,a main lever to engage with the needie-screw, embracing one side of saidupright, a swinging arm to carry said blade,'enibracing the other sideof said upright, and a pivotal rivet, the respective ends of which pivotsaid lever and said arm at the'upper end of said upright, as hereinspecified, for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, in a sewing-machina ried by said lever and havingatappet end below the lever to engage with said downstrokeshoulder, saidupstroke-shoulder being adapted to engage with the upper edge of thelever it-. self, substantially as herein specified, for varying theintermittent reciprocating motion of 8o the blade, in the manner setforth.

4. The combination, in a sewing-machineV ruffier having a reciprocatingrufing-blade, of a main lever adapted .to receive continuous vibratingmotion from the needle-bar, a swinging arm carrying said blade andhaving upstroke and downstroke shoulders ata Xed dlstance apart, and anger-lever carried by said main lever, and having a tappet` end belowthe latter to engage with said downstrokeshoulder, and an eccentricprojecting above the upper edge of the main lever when said tappet endis set for plaiting, to engage with said npstroke-shoulder,substantially as herein specified, for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination, in a sewing-machine ruffier having a reciprocatingruffling-bla'de, of a main lever adapted to receive motion from theneedle-bar, a swinging arm carrying said blade and having upstroke anddownstroke shoulders, and a lever-piece having a tappet end toengagewith said downstroke-shoulder7 and an eccentric to engage with saidupstrokeshoulder when said tappet end is set for plaiting, substantiallyas herein specified, for the purpose set forth.

6. In a sewing-machine ruffier having a reciprocating ruflling-blade,the combination, substantially as herein specied, 'of mechanism fortransmitting motion to said blade in its effective movements from theneedle-bar, comprising a pair of unvarying contact-surfaces which coactwith each other in rufflingstrokes, and devices for effecting andvarying the retractions of said blade, comprising a lever-piece providedwith a stroke-increasing eccentric which projects beyond and takes theplace of one of said contact-surfaces in said effective movements whensaid lever-piece is set for a plaiting-st-roke, for the purpose setforth.

7. In asewing-machine ruffler, a separatingblade holder having anupright portion provided with a pair of horizontal slots, each having anopen end, in combination with a framepiece having a stud and astud-screw fitted to said slots, and a thumb-nut permanently applied tosaid screw, as herein specified, for the purposes set forth.

` 8.,In a sewing-machine ruffler having a reciprocatingrufrling-bladeand an under blade or separator, a series of cloth-guides,including a guide slot or passage closed at both ends and crossing thepath to the needle, for auto- ICO IIO

` for the purposes set forth.

9. In a Sewing-machine ruier, in combination With a reciprocatingrufflingblade and devicesv for actuating the same, the Within-dcscribedclamp piece G, provided with a series ro of guides, including aslot-guide for a piping or fold, substantially as shown, for thepurposes set forth.

WINSLOW R. PARSONS.

lWitnesses.:

J. M. THAYER, E. S. WHEELER.

